THE METAL PIG
[Page 269]. piazza (pe ät´sȧ): in Italy, a square, or open space, surrounded by buildings.
[Page 271]. Palazzo degli Uffizi (pä lät´sō dāl´yē öf fēt´se): one of the chief art galleries of the world. Palazzo is the Italian word for "palace."
[Page 272]. Medici (mĕd´[+e] chē): the name of a Florentine family.
[Page 275]. Galileo is called the Father of Modern Science. He made a number of most important scientific discoveries. To him is attributed the saying in regard to the earth, when under trial for the supposed heresy of believing in its motion, "It moves, nevertheless."
Dante was the greatest of Italian poets.
Alfieri and Machiavelli were authors.
Opposite the grave of Galileo is the tomb of Michelangelo, on which stand his bust and three figures, representing sculpture, painting, and architecture. Close by is a monument to Dante, whose body is buried at Ravenna. On this monument Italy is represented as pointing to the colossal statue of Dante, while Poetry mourns his loss. A few steps farther on is Alfieri's monument, which is adorned with laurel, the lyre, and dramatic masks; Italy weeps over his grave. Machiavelli is the last in this group of celebrated men.